What is the seeding rate for alfalfa?
between 12 and 15 pounds per acre
Seeding rates should be between 12 and 15 pounds per acre. Prescribed seeding rates are designed to provide several times the seed needed to achieve optimal yield under ideal growing conditions.
How much alfalfa do you put down per acre?
For pure alfalfa stands, 18 to 20 pounds per acre should be planted. For mixed stands with grass, 15 to 16 pounds per acre is recommended. For broadcast seeding, seeding rates need to be increased by 10 to 20 percent. Weed control.
How much does it cost to seed an acre of alfalfa?
The establishment cost is the sum of cash costs for land preparation, planting, and cash overhead for establishing the alfalfa. The Total Cash Cost shown in Table 1 represents the establishment cost per acre. For this study, the cost is $966 per acre or $48,300 for the 50 acres.
How much does alfalfa grow per acre?
The average total yield is 20-35 tons per hectare (or 8-14 tons per acre) per year (distributed in 5-6 cuts). Top yields (intensive farming) can exceed 40 tons per hectare or 16 tons per acre per year.
What month do you plant alfalfa?
Spring alfalfa should be planted from early April to early May. The month of choice for planting spring alfalfa is April. The crop can be planted into May in irrigated situations. While planting alfalfa in the fall increases the amount of forage produced the first year, planting alfalfa in the spring is less risky.
Can you broadcast alfalfa seed?
Alfalfa seed can be broadcast planted on a clean, tilled seedbed instead of planted with a drill seeder. If broadcast seeding is used, the seedbed should be firmed with a roller or cultipacker before seeding.
How much is a bale of alfalfa worth?
On average, a bale of hay costs around $15. For example, two wired Alfalfa Hay bales typically run high, costing $19.95 apiece, whereas bermudagrass is only $8.75. Timothy Hay is the most expensive, typically costing at least $20 a bale.
Does alfalfa deplete soil?
Alfalfa has long been noted as a soil builder. Its ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen and improve soil structure is well known. However, as shown in table 1, alfalfa can rapidly deplete the soil of phosphorus, potassium, and other nutri- ents.
Can you over seed alfalfa?
Most producers would probably prefer to overseed additional alfalfa into a thin stand. However, overseeding alfalfa stands over one year old with additional alfalfa seed is not recommended due to the likelihood of autotoxicity issues.
Is growing alfalfa profitable?
It’s a profitable crop these days, with prices for high quality hay frequently reaching $250/ton. But in addition to its over $1 billion value to the state of California, alfalfa provides a host of environmental benefits that are frequently overlooked.
How often do you reseed alfalfa?
Recommended intervals of six or twelve months were most frequently reported, but the range was two weeks to 24 months. Many respondents commented that their most common recommendation was to reseed alfalfa after rotation with a non-legume crop grown for one or more seasons.
How often do you need to reseed alfalfa?
Why do farmers plant alfalfa every few years?
Wildlife loves alfalfa. With nearly a million acres of alfalfa grown in California, alfalfa also serves as an important feeding and resting area for many species of birds, such as curlews, white-faced ibis, and Swainson’s hawks, all species of conservation concern.